Dishwasher



Patented Dec. 19, 1944 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I George A. Mich.

Application September No. 456,997

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to dishwashers and more particularly to a dishwasher, the washing action in which is obtained by the action of air intermittently admitted to the dishwasher though the bottom thereof in sucha manner as to cause a surging movement of the'washing liquids. The present invention is a continuation in part of my copending application, Serial No.

under pressure as the means for agitating the lid 3 in assembled relation with the container 1. The lid 3 is provided with a handle 5 having thereunder vents 6 and a baflle plate 1, shown particularly in Fig. l, for permitting the escape of air which enters the container from the lower side thereof as will be hereinafter explained.

The container is provided with a rack 8 therein which rests on the bottom. The rack 8, which is not a part of the invention, is provided with a central compartment 9 for silverware and outer portions Ill for supporting dishes. A wire or the washingliquid. -However, none of the prior art devices have employed the air under pressure in such a manner as to cause a surging of the liquid as distinguished from a simple agitation of the liquid;

An object of the present invention is to provide a compact, inexpensive, portable mechanical dishwasher.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical dishwasher which may employ as a source of power a portable detached motor of like framework II is arranged for securing the portions of the rack 8 together and to provide a meansfor conveniently withdrawing the same from the container I.

At the center of the bottom of the container l is provided an air inlet I 5 having thereon a check valve It whichis loaded by a spring H, the spring ll having one end thereof secured to the check valve l6 and the other end thereof secured to the tube "communicating with the inlet ii. The

valve l6 seats on the upper end of the air inlet l5. The tube "communicates with a reciprocating pump I9, the term reciprocating being used broadly, which preferably is secured to the side of the container I. The pump l9 consists general purpose use, such as the Mix-Master" Another object of the invention is to provide a dishwasher having a spring check valve in the bottom thereof for admitting air intermittently under pressure; I

A further object of the invention is to provide a dishwasher into which the air is directed from the bottom thereof by air passing through a spring check valve and pumped by a reciprocating "erence character I indicates a container made of sheet metal having a false bottom 2 to serve as a base, and a lid 3. The lid 3 is provided with an internal telescoping flange t for holding the and ,an oscillatable side 2|.

of a housing Zilhaving an outer cover plate 2|. One side of the housing 20 constitutes a movable pumping. member 2| which is pivoted about a pin 22 fixed with respect to the housing 20 in the container l.- The container has a housing 20 Suitable packing may be provided to prevent the escape of air past the side 2|. The side 2| is provided with an air check valve 23 and is oscillated by, an eccentric 24 driven by a shaft 25. The eccentric 24 is operably connected to the side 2| bya connecting rod 26 pivoted to the side.2| by a pin 21. The

shaft 25 of the eccentric 24 is driven by a speed reducing mechanism 28, not shown in detail, which is in turn driven by a rod 29 having a connecting end 30 at the top thereof to adapt the same to be driven by a removable portable motor such as oi the Mix-Master type.. A bracket 3] is provided for supporting the motor.

As the eccentric 24 is rotated, the side 2| is reciprocated pumping air outwardly through the outlet 35 into a conduit 38 which is connected to the conduit It. The upper end of the conduit [8 is in the form of a goose neck 31 providing a trap for preventing the gravitation of washing liquid from within the container into the pump I 9.

Theprincipal feature "of the present. invention is the way in which the air enters the container I through the air inlet l5 and the eflect that it provides on the washing liquid therein. The air entering the container I through the inlet 65 is provided by the reciprocating pump l9, and as the result enters the container l intermittently. Furthermore the efiect oi the spring I1 is to hold back the passage of air into the container 5 until a predetermined pressure is built up and then to cause the valve 56 to suddenly release the air so that the entire charge of air enters the container substantially instantaneously. The efiect of substantially instantaneously injecting the entire charge at one time under pressure is such to cause an explosion-like effect in the water and to impart to the water a surging action as distinguished from a mere agitation such as would be provided by a constant stream of air. It has been found that by providing any type of a pump which reciprocates and by spring loading the check valve to a sumcient degree to cause the entire charge of air to enter the container substantially instantaneously will produce the explosion-like effect described and cause the water to surge. By surging is meant that the sudden expanding of the air under pressure adjacent the bottom of the container causes a portion of the water to rise in the container and then fall back to replace the space taken by the air after the air rises to the top of the container. The action being repeated'due to the intermittent operation of the pump causes an intermittent up and down movement or surging of the liquid which has a washing efiect entirely absent when the washing liquid is merely agitated by a constant flow of air, no matter how violent the agitation is. Apparently the surging causes a large volume of water to continuously pass in oppwte directions over the surfaces be washed. This action has the result of new washing liquids to the surfaces being washed and carrying away the film of washing liquid adjacent the surfaces being washed which has already been used.

From the foregoing speciflcationit will be ap parent that I need not be limited to the specific type of pump disclosed. Furthermore, it is contemplated that other means may be provided for supplying the air as described, than by a pump. Accordingly, I do not wish to be limited except by the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by letters Patent and claim is:

l. A device of the character described com= prising a liquid holding container having a bot tom. a spring loaded check valve at said bottom and communicating with said container, means to intermittently supply air, and means providing a communication between said means and said valve whereby air is directed intermittently into said container through said valve to agitate the liquid in said container, the resistance to opening of the spring loaded valve and the means for intermittently supplying air being such as to cause each charge ofair to enter the container substantially instantaneously whereby each charge of air has an explosion-like cheat in the liquid to impart to the liquid a. surging action.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the check valve is adjacent the center of the bottom or the container.

3. The invention as defined in claim lv wherein the air is supplied by a reciprocating pump.

GEORGE A. VANDERCOOK. 

